Out Of Time
by aubrey.lafitte
Summary: Alexandra is Sherlock's old crime- fighting partner. What happens when their arch enemy, Jim Moriarty, comes back for revenge? One-Shot. Sherlock/OC


Ugh.  
Boring.  
Work.  
I sat at my desk clicking away at my pen and concentrating on nothing in particular. I look up at the clock. 3:30 p.m. It cannot go any slower than this.  
I sat up and grabbed my phone out of my pocket. I skimmed through my contacts until I reached Karen's number. I hit dial.  
"Hey" I heard her voice on the other line. "What's up"  
"Not much. Just bored out of my mind." I stood up to get the achey feeling out of my leg.  
"Like always" she laughed and I could almost feel her eyes roll.  
"Are you ready for tonight? Girls night in, remember? I scrounged up some popcorn for the Notebook, just like old times."  
"Oh, was that tonight?" I groaned. "Yes! Don't tell me you've already made plans! I have no one else to talk to!" I whined. Although that was not true, I could probably persuade Molly to take a day off.  
"I'm so sorry, I made plans with Bruce. We're having dinner tonight at a fancy restaurant!" She said excitedly. I glared at my pen that I was clicking nervously and I threw it in my pen holder, angrily.  
"Please hold." I said and I opened another tab and went to my messages.

I called dibs, you can't mistreat the dibs! -AH

I sent that to Bruce and out the phone to my ear again.  
"Ok you may speak."  
"Oh wow thanks so much." She said sarcastically. "I could come over after dinner, if you'd like." I grinned. She couldn't stay away.  
"I guess I could allow that." I heard her chuckle. "I'll see you later, Alex." "Bye" I hung up and looked at the clock. 3:43. I felt a pang in my stomach, and I checked my phone. One new message.

Don't worry. I have a good reason to dishonor the dibs -BC

This was going to be a long day.

Later that evening:  
I couldn't get out of that place fast enough. I jumped into a cab and went to the nearest grocery store. I grabbed popcorn and a new movie to watch, deciding The Notebook was too soppy. It ended up being Fast and Furious. I was always a sucker for action. I pushed my buggy over to the counter and checked out.

I felt another pang in my chest, I should probably have that checked out. I went home and made a sandwich and sat in front of the telly. I scrolled through all the shows and settled on the news.  
"Witnesses tell us that 221b Baker St. is covered with reporters, waiting for Sherlock Holmes to speak to the press for saving the lives of two people yester-" I swiched off the telly with shaking hands, I closed my eyes and thought back that day.

"Alex! ALEX!" I ran into the building and staggered up the stairs.  
"What's wrong?" Nervousness coursed through me, is he hurt?  
"I need you to get Mrs. Hudson for me." I let out my breath, putting my hand to my forehead, laughing with no humor. I turned on him.  
"You called me, all the way from my house, to get Mrs. Hudson, who is 10 steps away from you?" I stormed over to where he was lying on the couch and tapped his legs. He lifted them up to where I could sit, and moved them to my lap. He sat up.  
"I yelled for her, she didn't hear me." He argued, although he had a smile on his face. "We have a case," he added. "Wanna come?"  
A smile crept on my face. "Do you really have to ask?"

I woke up much later on the couch with my half-eaten sandwich in my lap. I checked my phone, two missed calls from Karen. Crap.  
I clicked the dial button and began to finish my sandwich as I sat up  
"Hi, you've reached Karen, leave a message!" I heard the beep. "Hey, sorry I fell asleep, call me back." I hung up and threw my phone on the couch.  
RING.  
I jumped, and laughed at myself. I practically ran to the door and opened it.  
"Welcome!" I yelled. "Oh, hi." I said awkwardly. The mailman put the package in my hands.  
"Freak," he muttered. I blushed and went inside with the package. I opened it, confused. I don't remember ordering anything. Inside it was a medium sized alarm clock, with red numbers. They must've had the wrong address. I threw it on my bed in my room and went back to the couch for a while. Soon afterwards, the doorbell rang again.  
"Welcome!" I tried the same approach. Karen laughed.  
"Oh my god, Alexandra Hart, guess what?" She used my full name, this must be big. I let her inside and she flopped down on the couch.  
"I'm getting married!" My mouth hung open.  
"Oh I should've known! Bruce told me there was a reason he had to override my dibs!" We did one of those girly little screams where we jump up and down while holding each other. To be completely honest, I was disappointed that this was the most exciting thing that has happened in weeks, it was a little pathetic. But that didn't mean I wasn't happy for her.  
"How did he do it? Spill!" She told me how he had put the ring in her wine glass and how she almost choked on it, although she had to pause after that because I couldn't control my laughter.  
"I always knew you'd get married first!" It was true. We've known each other since elementary school and she was the popular kid that everyone loved. "Oh don't say that! I thought you had it in the bag with that Holmes boy!" She cut herself off, biting her lip, worried that she had upset me.  
"We weren't dating." I told her simply. "That was the worst choice of my life, though. Giving up on that excitement and adventure." I smiled weakly. She nodded, understanding.  
"Do you want to talk about it?" I hadn't talked about it in years and I didn't really want to start now. "No, it's fine. I don't want to ruin the moment." She nodded. I got up to go to the kitchen and I found small teardrops on my cheeks, I wiped them away and picked up the movie. "Hey Karen! I got us a new movie!" I went back to the sitting room and she wasn't there. "Karen?" I walked around and saw her peeking in my bedroom.  
"Oh Alex! You kept them!" I groaned as she went over to my closet and picked up he Barbie dolls we had played with when we were kids. "Of course!" I went in the bedroom and I sat on the desk that was supporting my laptop. I heard a loud bang and the door snapped closed. "What the heck?" I went over to the door and grabbed the handle. It wouldn't budge.  
"Ummm.." Karen got up and came over to me, and she pulled on the handle, also. Still no progress.  
"Alex, this isn't funny." She said. She looked scared. "I'm not doing this!" I pounded on the door.  
"Let us out!" I looked around for something to break the door open with. Karen kept pounding. I turned around, finding nothing, and saw Karen sitting on my bed, shaking. "It's gonna be ok." I told her. The alarm clock started ringing. What? It wasn't even plugged in! I slammed my hand on the snooze button and numbers popped up. 30:00. Karen was backing away from it as it went all supernatural in my hands. I dropped it on the bed. 29:59. It was counting down. Ohhhh no.  
My door swing open. Two large men with huge muscles tackled us and held over hands behind our backs. Karen screamed and the guy slapped her. "Hey don't slap her! You idiot! You have no right to-" a hand clamped over my mouth and I bit it hard until I tasted blood.  
"You little," I heard the guy mutter. "Enough, boys" a sickeningly familiar voice came from in front of me. No, it can't be.  
"Moriarty" I practically growled at him. "Still holding a grudge, I see, Alexandra." He clicked his tongue in disapproval. "I thought I would have been forgiven by now." I sneered at him as I replied, "You freaking shot me!"

"We have a case," he added. "Wanna come?"  
A smile crept on my face. "Do you really have to ask?" He jumped up, grabbing his coat and scarf and headed out the door. I quickly followed behind and we jumped in a cab.  
"Where to?" I asked, unable to contain my excitement. "A building off of Moorgate." He said, thinking. "Are we chasing someone?" He didn't reply, just turned to glance at me and I grinned widely, knowing that was a yes.  
"Background?"  
"Jim Moriarty, he allegedly killed his entire family, including his own parents."  
"Wait, allegedly?"  
"Let me finish!"  
"Sorry, go on"  
"He allegedly killed his entire family, but that's not what we are chasing him for. He murdered Randy Cussack in his own flat three days ago. He slit his throat with rusty kitchen shears. Impressive"  
"Sherlock!"  
"Not good?"  
"Just a bit"  
His mouth made an 'o' and he climbed out of the cab, leaving me to pay.  
"Wait for me!" He didn't acknowledge me but he slowed down a little with his hands in his thinking position. I jumped out of the taxi and ran to his side.  
"What's the plan?" I asked him, feeling exhilarated and dangerous. It was a good feeling, being needed. "Working on it," I stopped in my tracks.  
"We don't have a plan?" He grabbed my wrist and forced me to keep walking. "We have to have a plan, we ALWAYS have a plan." He didn't say anything and just kept walking with his hand clutching mine.  
"I swear you're going to get us killed one day, Sherly." I muttered. He glared at me for using my nickname for him. He hates it. So, obviously, I use it all the time. We entered the building and he handed me my gun. "How did you get my gun? It was in my flat!"  
"Shhh!"  
"Did you just shush me? Did you just SHUSH me?" He put his hand over my mouth. I licked it. He glared at me but he didn't move his hand. I sighed. I heard a rustling to my left. I pointed my gun as Sherlock strode in of me, protectively, holding his own gun.  
Suddenly I felt myself being lifted up and a hand was clamped over my mouth again, what was it with people and my mouth? I was pulled into a room and tied to a chair. I could hear Sherlock's voice.  
"Alex?" His voice was panicked and it puzzled her, she had never heard him panic before. I tried to speak but something hit my head, hard. I blacked out. The next thing I know I was awake and a man was in front of me, pacing calmly.  
"I'm assuming you're Moriarty." I said, after a few moments of coughing up blood.  
"The one and only." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.  
"Where's Sherlock?" His smile vanished.  
"I've taken care of him, don't worry." I struggled against the ropes. Someone behind me kept me in place. "Sherlock!" I screamed. The guy put a rag in my mouth to silence me. "We can't have you waking up the whole street, now can we?" He stopped pacing and crouched down in front of me.  
"Leave him alone, you filthy animal." But it came out muffled by the rag. "Young love, so tragic." I scowled at him. "We aren't together." I spit out the rag, only to be slapped in the face, they must have trusted me not to scream, though, because they didn't pick it up. The doorway was to my right and I saw black hair at the very edge. I looked away quickly, hoping not to give away his hiding spot.  
"Oh but you are, you just don't know it yet." That confused me. You just don't know it yet? What was that supposed to mean? My eyes flickered to the doorway again and I saw a hand. It held up three fingers. "What is that supposed to mean?" I told Moriarty. The hand lowered one finger. And then another. I flung my head back in my chair and heard a crack as it collided with the guy's hip bone. Sherlock pointed his gun at Moriarty but he ducked at the last second, rolling on the floor. Sherlock used that time to untie me. I went over to the guy and punched him in the face. I heard Sherlock grunting, and I looked behind me. He wasn't doing so well.  
I went behind Moriarty and took my gun and slammed the butt of it into the back of his head. He fell to the ground, unconscious. Sherlock fell, too, breathing hard.  
I turned around as the other guy grabbed me, gun in hand, and started choking me. My hand flew up to his and I bit into his arm. He staggered back and I kicked his chest. He fell to the ground and landed on his hand. Oh no. The hand with the gun. It went off and I felt a sting of pain in my leg. "Sherlock" I muttered. I blacked out.

"You freaking shot me!" My mouth twisted with disgust. "I didn't shoot you, my dear. I don't like to get blood on my hands." He wiped his palms on his shirt, to emphasize.  
"You were the reason I was shot. That is close enough!" He sat on my bed with the alarm clock in his hands, flipping it in the air. "Well YOU were the reason I almost got caught! If Sherlock had left you there, I would have been. I guess I should thank you for that, though. I'm honestly shocked that you quit, though. With the crime stopping and all. You seemed to like it." He babbled. I couldn't believe his arrogance.  
"I. Was. Shot. That's enough of a reason." I enunciated each syllable clearly, to further express my point.  
"Anyways, to the point, I am here for revenge, you hurt me, Alex" he put his hand to his heart "so I'm going to hurt you." Karen, who had been unusually quiet, squealed against her attacker's hand. I looked at her and nodded, implying that it was going to be okay. "When this alarm clock hits zero, a bomb will be set off and you will die." He said this all I'm a calm voice, like this was normal, which, knowing him, it probably was in his mind.  
"Why don't you just kill me now?" He smiled and looked up at me, setting the clock on my bed.  
"Where's the fun in that?" He got up and opened the door. He snapped and the attackers followed him. The door slammed shut behind them. Karen collapsed on the floor. I went over to her with my face blank, and patter her back. After a few minutes, I started crying too.  
Once I was done, I was in full Sherlock mode. I was trying to deduce a way to get out of here. I slammed my body against the door. It didn't even make a sound. I tried to pry open my window, with no luck. Karen was still crying on the bed. I sat at my desk and pulled on my laptop, only to see that there was no wifi. They must have shut down the internet.  
"Karen, do you have your phone?" I left my phone on the couch, where I had chucked it earlier. "Yeah." She had a look of hope in her eyes as she pulled out her phone, only to see there was no service. I sat next to her in defeat. We held each other for a moment.  
"I'm so sorry." I told her. "This is all my fault. I dragged you into this and...and..." I whimpered.  
"It's okay." She told me. "You didn't know." Why was she doing this? "You should be angry at me, you're not supposed to just forgive me! Go on, yell at me, I deserve it."  
"No you don't."  
"You could have had a long life with Bruce, and I went and ruined everything." I glanced at the clock. 14:37. I got up and sat at my desk chair, sulking to myself, thinking about the life I had had before. About Sherlock and Molly and Lestrade and Mycroft. Wait. Mycroft! I opened my computer, and went on google.  
I typed in "Mycroft, Moriarty is here. Please help. He has a bomb that will go off in a few minutes. Don't tell Sherlock." I pressed enter. I remember Sherlock telling me that his brother spies on him and looks at his computer. He told me to delete my search history just to annoy him. Hopefully, he still looked at my search history, although, I had no idea how he would respond. The computer buzzed, reminding me that the internet wasn't on. I sat there, waiting, not exactly knowing what I was waiting for. I looked up and I saw my search history had been deleted. He had seen it! I jumped up and Karen looked up me weirdly.  
"We are going to be okay. Help is coming." I whispered so nobody could hear me. She looked at me for a minute, blankly. Then her face brightened up and she wiped away her tears. I looked at the clock 5:27. He better hurry. I heard a bang outside a minute later and the door opened, I waited for a guard to come and grab me, but it wasn't a guard standing there, it was Sherlock. Dang you, Mycroft.  
"Sherlock, you bloody idiot! What are you doing? You're gonna get killed!" I was trying to be angry, but there was a silly grin on my face at seeing my old friend. His hair had gotten longer, and curlier, might I add. His eyes were still the same beautiful green color. He was taller, also, and he had gained weight. That eased me, I was worried that he would hit rock bottom when I left, I was the only person that could persuade him to eat.  
"I'm the idiot?" He said as he closed the door behind him. "I'm not the one who has gotten themselves trapped in their own bloody bedroom!" He was also grinning. Then his face turned serious. "We've got to go. We can't go back out there, they are only unconscious. Moriarty wasn't there, either. He put a gun and a crowbar on the desk and looked up. "A vent. You didn't see that?" He smirked, implying that I was too short.  
"I'm sorry I'm not freakishly tall, like someone in this room!" He mocked being confused.  
"Her?" He pointed at Karen. She was even tinier than I was.  
I glared and punched his arm. He climbed on the bed and pushed open the vent. "Gun," he pointed at it. I handed him the crowbar, just to make him angry. He glowered, but wasted no time and slid in. "I'm going to look for a way out. Don't do anything stupid!" He yelled back at us. Karen got off of the bed.  
"And you're sure you guys weren't a couple?"  
"Haha, very funny." I said sarcastically. I got up on the bed and began jumping on it rapidly.  
"What are you doing?" Karen asked me. "Something stupid." I smiled and whispered the plan in her ear. As expected, the guards came in to complain at the noise. Karen lunges at the first one and I tackled the second.  
"Those karate lessons payed off." Karen told me. I looked at the alarm clock. 00:27. Oh o. "Sherlock!" I screamed. I had forgotten to check. We were out of time. Karen pulled me out of the building. I heard the explosion and we were blown forward.  
"No...no... Sher...lock..." Everything went dark. I groaned when I woke up and gasped in pain. I had a huge gaping cut on my cheek and debris had fallen on my backside.  
"Karen?" I looked up and Karen was on a gurney. "No... Karen!" I jumped up and squealed at the pain in my legs. I went to the nearest police officer.  
"Is Karen ok?" He turned around with a frustrated look in his eyes.  
"She has a broken hip and leg. We think she'll make a full recovery. We need to get you into an ambulance, too. That cut looks pretty bad. We don't want it to get infected" I tuned out after that. I looked around for Sherlock.  
"Miss, it's not safe to go in there yet." I ignored the voice and went in the building anyway. I found my bedroom. Everything was destroyed, you could barely tell that it use to be a flat. I went back outside in defeat. I let an officer take me to an ambulance and sit me on the back of it. They put an orange shock blanket on me that brings back good memories. I pushed it off. I don't know how long I sat there, it could have been a minute, could've been an hour. I looked up after a while and saw someone in the distance. I couldn't tell who it was at first, until they started walking towards me. "Sherlock." I muttered dryly. A smile spread on my face and I grinned so hard that it hurt. He stopped in front of me. He looked horrible. His hair was going every which way and he had ash on his face.  
"God, Sherlock, you look like you've gotten blown up!" I said, smiling. He didn't say anything. I noticed a tear at the edge of his eye. He had been crying. My brows furrowed. His hand reached up and touched my cut on my cheek. "I'll be fine. It's just a cut. It'll heal" he still didn't say anything. "Are you just gonna sit there and stare or-"  
"I thought you were dead." He cut me off.  
"Well, I'm not," I said simply. He looked distraught and I got up to leave, but he put his arms around me and pulled me into a hug. My eyes widened and my hands hovered at his back. He never really enjoyed physical contact, so it took me by surprise. He didn't show signs of letting go, so my arms fastened around his waist.  
"It looks like you're gonna need a place to stay." He said, pulling back.  
"Looks like it."  
He smiled. "You're gonna like my flat mate. He was a soldier."

A/N Please comment I'd love to hear your input it would make my day! And yes, this was a one-shot but I'm planning on making an epilogue. Thank you soooo much for reading I really do appreciate it!


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